An Afghan migrant has appeared in court to formally deny a series of serious sexual assault charges involving two teenage girls in Bolton. Sultani Bakatash, aged 28, entered not guilty pleas at Bolton Crown Court in relation to the alleged offences against both 14-year-old victims.
Details of the Charges and Court Proceedings
The defendant faces two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault. All the alleged crimes are said to have occurred at a residential flat in the Middle Hulton area of Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Saturday, December 6, of last year.
Bakatash was subsequently arrested by police in the early hours of the following day. The two girls involved in the case cannot be identified for legal reasons, as is standard in such sensitive proceedings.
Legal Representation and Administrative Hearing
During the recent 30-minute hearing, which was largely administrative and cannot be fully reported ahead of the trial, Bakatash appeared via videolink from HMP Forest Bank in Salford. He communicated through a Dari interpreter to enter his pleas.
Judge Nicholas Clarke KC, the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, presided over the session. He remanded Bakatash into custody pending a further case management hearing scheduled for February 12 at the same court. A full trial is expected to take place in June.
Background of the Defendant
Sultani Bakatash has been residing in the United Kingdom for approximately two years. He was granted indefinite leave to remain in the country, and his immediate family—including his mother, two brothers, and two sisters—also live in the UK.
The case has drawn attention due to the serious nature of the allegations and the defendant's immigration status. The court proceedings will continue to unfold as the legal system works to establish the facts surrounding these distressing charges.
